Fastforward
by kisukebenihime
Summary: Naruto/Ghost in the Shell Crossover AU. Non-mass. Subbing as a medic on Squad one, Sakura’s first ANBU mission to spy on the Akatsuki goes horribly wrong when she and her Captain are thrust into the future. Pairings ItaSaku/ItaMoto/BatoSaku
1. Chapter 1

In the Blink of an Eye

(**A/N**: Yes, I know, I'm crazy for starting a new story. But when the mood strikes, you can't just put it aside. Just like my need to play the drums… sometimes I'm not around my kit to play so, chopsticks come in handy. Anyways, enjoy the show and drop a comment to let me know what you think.)

Summary: (Naruto/Ghost in the Shell Crossover) AU. Non-mass. Subbing as a medic on Squad one, Sakura's first ANBU mission to spy on the Akatsuki goes horribly wrong when she and her Captain are thrust into the future. Main pairing ItaSaku, minor ItaMoto and BatoSaku.

~xxx~

Sakura packed the last of her clothing into her pack with a sigh. This was going to be her first ANBU mission and she was a substitute medic. Sakura would have preferred to be a full status medic but she was 'too green' (or so Genma said) to be on the active roster.

"It's not fair, Sakura-chan!" her blonde brother cried as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, a cute pout on his lips. "You get to go on your first mission while me and Teme have to wait another month!" Sakura looked over her shoulder with a soft smile.

"I'm sorry Naruto. I'm only a sub for this mission and it's not like I'm going to see any action anyway." She said softly, amusement shining in her emerald eyes as Naruto turned his head and grumbled.

"Still… it's your first mission and we have to wait a month. _A MONTH_, Sakura-chan!" Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Just think, Naruto, if we do find anything… your team will be sent for sure." She said and zipped her back shut before she flung in over her shoulder. His eyes snapped to her, worry clear in his sapphire eyes.

"You take care of yourself, ok?"

Sakura grinned at him. "You know I will." He gave her a thumbs up before heading out the door. Sakura gave a small huff and steeled herself, calming her nerves before following her former teammate out of her room. It was times like this Sakura wished her mother was still around. But she pushed that thought aside and headed for the door with mask in hand.

~xxx~

Uchiha Itachi stood waiting for his team to arrive with his cousin and weapons specialist, Shisui. They had walked together, as per usual, and now they were waiting on their communications specialist, Genma and their substitute medic, Sakura.

"It's too bad Hana couldn't come. I have a feeling that this mission is going to be more trouble than it's worth." Shisui commented with a light frown and a finger tapping his chin.

"Are you referring to the fight between Genma-san and Haruno?" Itachi asked, fingering the small dent on his wolf mask. A dent he received when training with the very medic they were waiting for. Shisui grinned in response.

"That'll teach him for calling her 'Pinky'." He said as he sat back on his haunches, fingers now digging in the dirt.

"No one calls me that and gets away with it." Sakura spoke as she strode towards her temporary teammates. She smiled as she came to a stop before them, looking at Itachi directly. "Not even your brother."

"It is good to see you are on time." Itachi said with a nod of his head. Sakura just smirked.

"Actually, I'm five minutes early, Itachi-san."

Shisui rubbed the back of his neck. "I kinda figured you'd be like Kakashi-senpai and show up late for everything." His chuckle was met with a playful slap on the arm.

"I was only late for your party because Ino decided she wanted to change her clothes… again." Sakura grumbled with a mock glare. "I would have left her there had you not made me promise to bring her." Her eyebrows wiggled in suggestion. "Something you want to say, Shi-kun?"

"N-no…" he sputtered, turning away from her intense gaze. The trio settled on silence for the next ten minutes. Genma was now five minutes late. And when he arrived, Itachi was not too happy with him. But they continued with the mission briefing and set out moments later. Albeit, an hour behind schedule. Thanks Genma.

~xxx~

"Tobi and Zetsu will be meeting you by tomorrow." Leader-sama spoke to the two holographic images of his artisan subordinates. More bad news for the Puppet Master.

"We will wait for them at the southwestern peninsula." Sasori grumbled, glancing at his partner. "I hate waiting."

"Calm down Danna, yeah. You'll be back to your art in no time." Pein stared between the two as they began to argue about art… again.

"If you are finished." He said, his voice as cold as the steel of a kunai. "You are to gather information about this 'machine' and report back. If anyone should interfere; get rid of them."

"Hai, Leader-sama." The two chorused at the same time while glaring at each other. Their images flickered then disappeared.

"Seriously, we should have gone instead of those fucking heathens." Hidan voiced, turning his beady stare to their leader.

"You will get your chance, rest assured."

"Enough of this sharing shit! I need to sacrifice something."

"Calm down, Hidan. It is unwise to upset Leader-sama." Kakuzu spoke, turning to his irate partner.

"Eat a dick, Kakuzu. I'm outta here." His image disappeared shortly after that along with his partner. Pein really had some interesting subordinates.

~xxx~

Civilians had spotted two cloaked figures walking along the dirt road towards the ocean. That's what they were going to investigate. Tsunade had saw fit to make this mission top priority, seeing as how the civilians reported the men to be wearing black cloaks with red clouds. The higher ups knew the Akatsuki were after the tailed beasts; have known for some time now but never made a move until today.

Now, Sakura's experience with the Akatsuki was far beyond her temporary teammates'. She had destroyed Akasuna no Sasori during the mission to rescue Gaara. Deidara blew himself up in an effort to take out the Konoha team on his tail. Safe to say she was ready for active duty. That's why she was placed in the field early.

"We will approach the cliffs from the southwest." Itachi's voice beckoned Sakura back to reality. "Our mission is to investigate and avoid confrontation if at all possible." Three masked faces bobbed in understanding. "Sakura will go with Shisui and Genma with me. Search the area thoroughly but keep out of sight."

"Hai, Taicho." The three chorused in unison and readied themselves for action.

"We move now." Itachi commanded in a low whisper, blue and white wolf mask tilted in the direction of their destination.

Sakura and Shisui were the first to move, heading toward plateau parallel to the dirt road as Itachi and Genma bounded towards the upper cliffs. Staying within radio contact range was key to the operation, and Itachi made it abundantly clear that this mission had no room for error.

The rocks were sharp yet brittle, easily snapping off with the right amount of pressure. Moonlight cast eerie shadows on the rocky terrain as Sakura followed Shisui's lead just under the plateau. Movement to the left caught her attention as she and her teammate slowed to a stop, ducking behind a large boulder.

"Targets spotted, 100 meters northeast of our current location." Shisui whispered into his radio.

"_Conformation." _Itachi answered. Shisui turned to Sakura, waiting for an answer. Had she not been wearing a mask he would have been able to see her pretty face marred by horror.

"I-impossible…" she whispered, leaning over Shisui to get a better look. Two days! Two goddamn days of travel only to find her nightmare turned reality… standing on the plateau above her.

"_Say again, do you have conformation?" _her captain said slowly, irritation evident in his voice.

"Hai, Taicho." Sakura whispered, heart pounding in her ears. "Verified targets as Akasuna no Sasori and Deidara of Iwa." There was a pause over the radio.

"_You are certain?"_

"Of course, sir. I could never forget their chakra." Sakura answered, pressing herself against the rocks at her back.

"_I thought you killed the Suna nuke-nin?" _Genma asked over the radio, she could tell he was straining.

"I know I did." She about snapped into the receiver.

"_Could it be a genjutsu?" _

"No, it's not." Shisui hissed. "We would have spotted that a long time ago."

"_Hold your position. We are coming to meet you." _Itachi intoned, irritation replaced with a hard tone Sakura was unfamiliar with. And so, they waited.

~xxx~

"I hate waiting." Sasori grumbled for the umpteenth time. The duo had been waiting in this exact spot for hours and it certainly wasn't helping to calm their nerves knowing Zetsu and Tobi were an hour late. Well, Tobi can't travel the way Zetsu does; it could possibly kill him… not that the two really minded that bit of information.

"Ah, Deidara-senpai! Tobi missed his senpai!" a loud, obnoxious voice cried from the distance.

"I apologize for the wait. _Tobi is slower than originally planned_." Both sides of Zetsu commented as he appeared from the ground. "Are you ready to go?"

"We were ready hours ago." Sasori snapped, glare honed on the orange masked man currently hopping around Deidara.

"Tobi, if you don't shut the hell up, I'll knock you into next week." Just as Deidara was about to punch Tobi, the masked man held up his hand.

"Tobi thinks it's time for you to go now." He chimed as he looked between the two. "Kisame-san is already waiting for you on the other side." There were nods all around. And, just like that, the two Akatsuki members were sucked into a void.

~xxx~

In recent weeks strange things have accrued around the city of New Port. It started with the assassination of the head of the governments weapons agency. The only evidence left behind at the official's home was a piece of white cloth. Which they had found imbedded in the skin of the man's back. Next was the sighting of a large cloaked figure just seconds before an armory was broken into. Oddly enough, nothing was taken. And the millisecond the man appeared on camera offered no answers either.

Major Kusanagi Motoko and the members of Section 9 had been called in to investigate numerous armory break-ins but came up with nothing. The Major parked her car and stepped out with a sigh.

"I take it you've had as much luck as the rest of us?" a beep voice called from the adjacent lane. Batou stood by his car with the door opened, one foot still inside the vehicle.

"Nothing checks out. Ishikawa hasn't turned up anything either. I'm beginning to think this 'Phantom' character isn't real at all." Motoko said as she locked her car and headed for the elevators. Batou followed suit, rushing to catch up with his superior.

"Pazu came back empty handed just like the rest of us. The guys down in information are calling our guy 'Ninja' because he's in and out without being spotted." Batou grinned as he stepped into the elevator with the Major.

"Who ever he is, he's been caught on camera once. We'll just have to wait for him to slip up again." Motoko supplied with another sigh, running her fingers through her cropped, purple hair. Before Batou could speak, Chief Aramaki, the head of Section 9, beeped their personal communicators.

"_Kusanagi, Batou, head straight for the Tachikoma hanger. The 'Phantom' has been spotted entering an abandoned building in sector 4." _

"Right away, Chief. Is there any other information on hand?" the Major asked as the elevator came to a spot. She and Batou bolted down the hall towards the holding bay for the 'spider tanks'.

"_Uploading photos and data now." _Aramaki spoke then broke communication. Their cyber brains processed the data in seconds as the pictures flashed before them.

"And just what the hell is that supposed to be? A man or a shark?" Batou roared as they turned down the long hall, hanger in sight. The picture was that of a tall, very, tall man dressed in a black cloak with red clouds. Strapped to his back was a huge wrapped sword… possibly. But the man's features really stuck out. Blue skin and hair, large flat brow covered by a metal band of some sort. There were black stripes under his beady eyes and sharp teeth gleaming menacingly from behind thin lips. "How close was the guy? I mean, this is up close and personal."

"The data says it was taken from the memory bank of an officer on patrol just before he was killed." Motoko stated as the hanger doors flung open and they set to work.

~xxx~

Sakura blinked… how could they just disappear like that? One second, they were standing right above her and the next…

"There are four shinobi in the area." The Venus flytrap said, half his body sticking out of the ground.

"I will deal with them." The masked man said. Did his voice just change? An ominous feeling pooled in the pit of Sakura's stomach as Itachi and Genma arrived. The flytrap vanished into the ground, no doubt keeping tabs on them, and Tobi moved away from the ledge. "Come out little shinobi. I want to play with you." As one, the ANBU squad appeared before him with various weapons in hand. Three men and from the looks of it, one woman.

"Haruno-san, hang back." Itachi whispered over his shoulder. He saw her nod and dip into a defensive position. "Squad one, formation nine-A." A heartbeat later, the team surrounded Tobi who seemed disinterested in them.

Genma punched and missed. Shisui teleported behind Tobi and aimed a kick to the back but it went through the man. The two team members jumped away as Itachi unleashed a fire jutsu. Nothing they did worked. Then the man just disappeared.

"Shit!" Sakura cried as she jumped away from the hands reaching for her. A chakra infused hand hit the ground with enough force to collapse half the mountain side. A chunk of land slid into the sea in the wake of her hit.

"Ooh, a feisty little kunoichi," the man sneered, obviously confident in his skills. "But you're in the way. With your healing abilities… you'll only delay the inevitable." Tobi made a move to grab her again but Sakura dodged his hands again. "Slippery too," he laughed.

"_Bastard_…" she hissed, gathering chakra in her fist. Sakura lunged, powerful fist raised and cocked. With a twist of her hips, Sakura aimed for the gut… and it went through him. Tobi grabbed her arm and flung her into Itachi.

"Are you injured?" Itachi asked her as they stood.

"I'm fine. What the hell is that guy?" she seethed, dusting herself off. Genma and Shisui were on the offensive, trying to land a solid hit.

"Annoying pests." She heard Tobi say then he turned to face her. "Time to disappear."

"What the--" Sakura cut herself off; it felt as if the air was sucked out of her lungs, the very air around her began to swirl. Arms and legs felt heavy as everything started to spin.

"Haruno!" someone shouted in the distance. Her eyes began to droop like she was being hypnotized and everything went black. Itachi was by her side in a flash as her body was being pulled into a vortex, he along with her. Shisui and Genma could do nothing but stare; their captain and medic were just sucked into Tobi's mask. It was time to retreat.

~xxx~

They were falling hundreds of feet per second and somehow, Itachi lost his hold on Sakura's shoulder. Her smaller frame limply plummeting to her death and he would not allow it. Making his body as straight as an arrow, Itachi sped towards her and grabbed a hold of her arm. Sakura jolted awake.

"What the hell?!" she screamed, clinging to her captain.

"We are going to land on the water." Itachi spoke over the loud whistling of the wind. "Turn you body and use your chakra to slow your descent." A quick bob of her head signaled that she heard him. They moved at the same time and began to slow down. It seemed like an eternity before they hit the water and skid across the surface. Coming to a stop, Sakura held onto Itachi's arm to stabilize herself. Flood lights snapped on suddenly, forcing the stunned shinobi to shield their eyes.

"**This is Public Security Section 9**." A voice shouted from afar. Sakura and Itachi whirled around to see boats coming at them quickly. Within seconds they were surrounded.

"What is going on here?" Itachi hissed. Things seemed a little off…

"Itachi," Sakura whispered, tapping his arm to get his attention. When Itachi turned to look at her, she was staring at something else completely. Following her gaze, this breath caught in his chest. "I don't think we're in Fire Country anymore."

Skyscrapers lined the skyline. Concrete and steel structures jutted from the ground, cement roads, flood lights and flying vehicles…? Where the hell did they just get transported to? This was definitely not the land they were familiar with.

"Drop your weapons and put your hands on your head." A man commanded through a bullhorn.

"Do you see that? They're standing on the water." They heard someone say.

"How is that possible?" someone else said as a boat slowly, cautiously made it's way toward them.

"Hey! I said, drop your weapons." The first person said again from the boat. Sakura looked up to see a bulky, white-haired man pointing a strange weapon at her. His eyes looked like the caps from a coke bottle and he was scowling at them.

"Do as he says, Haruno." Itachi intoned quietly. She watched him drop his kunai to the water, sinking into the dark depths. An odd thought struck her then… how was it that they could find two people, dressed in all black, standing on the ocean surface… in the middle of the night? The world may never know. Sakura dropped her weapons and the man on the boat instructed them to step forward with their arms raised. They were hauled onto the boat and promptly secured.

~xxx~

Bright. It was very bright. White walls, white ceiling, a metal table and chairs. It was an interrogation room. And if the white-haired guy was anything like Morino Ibiki back home, Sakura was in a world of trouble. She had been separated from her captain about an hour ago and hadn't seen or heard from any one since. Taking another look around, Sakura noticed a mirror mounted on the wall to her left… just like the rooms in the basement of ANBU HQ. They were watching her but she couldn't sense any chakra from the other side.

The door opened without her notice but the heavy footsteps caught her attention.

"Take off the mask." The white-haired brut said as he sat down. Sakura went to move her hands but they were cuffed to the chair.

"I wish I could." Sakura responded quietly, yanking on the cuffs to emphasize her point. The man sighed and reached across the table. One finger hooked under her chin and lifted the mask with a quick flick. The red and white cat mask fell to the floor behind her.

"You're a girl." He said more than asked, surprise evident in his voice. That was it! Sakura swore to herself that once she was free to go, she'd beat the crap out of this guy. Damn giant or not.

"Were you expecting someone else?" she asked, one pink brow raised in amusement. The man didn't reply right away.

"Your friend didn't say much." He started, leaning back in his chair. "Why don't you tell me why you're here and what you were doing in a restricted area?" Sakura blinked and clamped her lips shut. She rolled her shoulders in an 'I-don't-know' fashion. He sighed and rubbed the palm of his hand over his face. "Ok, how about you tell me who this guy is?" he held up a picture of the blue-skinned man.

"Where… how… when…" she sputtered, sifting through the images on the table.

"You know him then?" the man asked, a grin on his lips. Hard emerald eyes glared up at him.

"I wish to speak to my superior before I disclose any information to you." Oh, she was a feisty one alright. The man paused for a moment as if speaking to someone in his head before he nodded and stood. Sakura turned her head to face the mirror as the man left the room. She glared. She glared through the mirror and at the person she just knew was watching her. If looks could kill, whoever was behind the glass would be dead… a hundred times over.

Ten minutes passed and the door swung open again. She could feel Itachi's irritation in his chakra. And when she looked up at him, all Sakura could do was stare. Itachi had a fat lip, a bloody nose and his left eye was a bit swollen and turning purple.

"Taicho…" Sakura made a move to stand but stopped… and growled. If she weren't in an interrogation room, she'd break the cuffs and aim a chakra infused punch to the grinning man behind her captain. The next person to enter was a woman with purple hair, athletic build on her tall body and a slight frown on her lips.

"You have ten minutes to discuss your options then we want answers." She said then stepped outside the door. "Batou, let them be for now."

"Yes, Major." the white-haired man, Batou, sighed and followed her out. The door closed with a slam. A few tense moments passed before Itachi sat down across from Sakura.

"Are you alright, Taicho?" were the first words to leave her mouth. If she had the use of her hands, she'd heal him. But with the unknown element of their environment, Sakura was not willing to test these people. Especially the damned giant in the hall.

"I will be fine, Haruno." He said but didn't look it. "What is the meaning of this?"

"The Akatsuki are here. The masked member sent them here." Sakura whispered, watching Itachi's frame straighten in the chair.

"You are certain?" he asked, one eye focused on her. Sakura motioned to the table with a nod of her head.

"That's the Kiri-nin from the bingo book. They are definitely here, Taicho."

His good eye focused on the photos for a long time before he nodded in agreement. "Very well." The door opened again and the Major and Batou re-entered the room.

**A/N**: So, yes, no? Too farfetched or what? Drop a line and let me know what you think. _PLEASE! _If you're not familiar with the Ghost in the Shell series, I suggest you watch it. As in all three movies and both Stand Alone Complex shows. There's like… twenty-six episodes for each series. Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C and Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C 2nd Gig are worth the watch. I promise you'll love them. Anyway, enough rambling… review and tell me what you think. I seriously need the feedback. Thank you for your support.


	2. Chapter 2

Welcome To Section 9

(**A/N**: I am so sorry it took me so long to get this up. I had finished it on the first but decided to scrap it because I hated the way it went. Again, I apologize for the tardiness of the chapter but I promise you'll love this one better than the one I was going to post. Enjoy and tell me what you think. **PLEASE**!!)

~xxx~

"So, what have you decided?" Batou asked with a smug grin as he sat down on the table, his back to Itachi. Really, that had to have been the biggest mistake anyone could have made… turning your back on the enemy, even if they were cuffed. Sakura resisted the urge to roll her eyes as Batou stared expectantly at her.

She sighed, turning her head to look at her captain. Itachi gave a slight nod. What the hell did that mean? Sakura took that as a sign to tell the giant to bugger off so they could talk… and she did.

"First of all, you left us alone for all of three minutes. Second, we hadn't decided anything yet and third… the guy in the next room could have told you that." Sakura snapped. If Batou could blink, he would have. "We have… five minutes left to discuss the issue, please allow us the available time. And may I please be released to tend to my superior's injuries?"

Batou sputtered for a moment, scowling at the pink-haired female sitting across the table.

"She's right, Batou. Take the cuffs off." The Major said while she uncrossed her arms and moved to the door. "If you try anything funny, you'll be held in a cell until we figure out what to do with you." The purple-haired woman said and left the room.

"Che, women." Batou scoffed and un-cuffed the girl from the chair. The door closed with a slam that resounded in the small space.

"That was not what I meant." Itachi glared at her through swollen eyes.

"What? Do you expect me to know your body language because I've known you brother for seven years?" she hissed at him. "With all due respect Taicho, but he had it coming."

"We are in a very unpredictable situation, Haruno-san. You would do well to remember that our lives are in their hands right now." Itachi said, his voice was cold and condescending towards her.

"I apologize Taicho." Sakura said as she stood up and stretched her legs. Damn metal chairs, so uncomfortable. "Let me have a look at you." She said while walking around the table and knelt next to his chair. Itachi turned the chair to face her, away from the prying eyes of the mirrored wall. "Well…" Sakura started as she looked over the more seriously damaged area; his eye. "If he were anything like Morino-san… I may have wet my pants. Thankfully, that is not the case." She joked with a warm smile.

"I do not recall having such an easy time in an interrogation," he paused as Sakura's glowing fingers prodded at his eye. "Ever."

"Easy?" she flapped, eyes wide in disbelief. "You call this easy? Look at you! You can barely see out of one eye. You're lucky he didn't knock out some teeth because it seems he's knocked a few screws loose in your head."

"You have healed worse, have you not?" Itachi asked as his damaged left eye, slowly, painfully began to heal. She nodded.

"That's the difference between his guy and Morino-san… the giant has more than one rule while Morino-san only has one." Sakura said as her gloved fingers traced his eyelid.

"And, prey tell, what is his one rule?"

"Information before death, not after." She answered immediately. It sounded an awful lot like Morino Ibiki, the most terrifying man in the five great nations. Sakura's eyes narrowed in concentration as she worked, trying to maintain her reserves for future use while healing a ruptured blood vessel was not easy. "What do you suggest we do, Taicho?"

Itachi contemplated for a moment, eyes fixed on the bridge of her nose.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." He said with the infamous Uchiha smirk gracing his bruised lips.

~xxx~

The blond man watched as Sakura's hand glowed green, holding her hand to the young man's face. For the last hour, Togusa had watched the girl as she sat in the room on the other side of the mirror. He had been unnerved when she glared at the mirror but that was the only real sign of aggression she had displayed thus far. Togusa listened carefully as the girl, Haruno-san, and her captain exchanged some words, though most were in hushed tones.

Once the Haruno girl was done tending to her captain, the raven-haired man turned to look at the mirror.

"Holy shit. Do you see that?" Togusa said, slapping at Batou's arm to get his attention.

"What are you talking about? I don't see--" Batou stopped just short of finishing his sentence as he stared at the man he, literally, beat the snot out of just moments before. There wasn't a scratch on him, save the slight discoloration of his bottom lip. "How did she do that?"

"I don't know. Her hand just started glowing and the next thing I know, the guy's as good as new." Togusa said with a shrug. "I tell you, I have a bad feeling about this case."

"Let's find out, shall we." Motoko said from her spot against the wall. The whole exchange between the two suspects did not go unnoticed by her sharp gaze.

~xxx~

"In exchange for the information we have, we wish to aid you in the investigation." Itachi smoothly replied to Batou and Motoko. They shared a look and didn't reply for a long moment.

"We accept your offer. However, the information exchange will take place tomorrow. I'm sure you're tired and wish to rest." Motoko supplied with her arms crossed. "The question is, where are we going to put you?" there was a new person in the room with them. A tall, blonde-haired man that looked to be just about thirty years of age.

"I have a spare bedroom." The man said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I can board at least one of them."

"Do you really want strangers around your kid, Togusa?" Batou questioned, cocking his head in the younger man's direction.

"I like kids." Sakura spoke up as she looked between the three of them.

"Alright, now what about the other one?" Batou asked as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Saito is getting ready to leave for the night. We can send the other one with him." Motoko announced. Saito didn't have a 'family' to worry about and plenty of extra space. Sakura let out a soft sigh; these people were talking as if they weren't in the room with them. Was it too much to ask to have some sort of acknowledgement?

"It's settled then. See you all back here at 900 hours." Apparently, it was. As one, the five people in the room moved. Sakura picked up her mask and followed Itachi out the door. The ANBU stood on one side of the elevator while the members of Section 9 stood on the other.

"I'm Togusa, by the way." The blonde said with his hand extended towards her. Sakura looked at his hand, up at him then at Itachi. Her captain gave a soft nod, telling her it was alright.

"Haruno Sakura." She said with a tight smile, forced but still friendly. She took his hand lightly and shook it before dropping her hand to her side. Togusa repeated the gesture to Itachi.

"Uchiha Itachi." He introduced himself with the usual monotone. This was going to be an interesting night. Sakura had been able to explain a few things before they went their separate ways, but it wasn't much.

~xxx~

Sakura followed Togusa into the garage, trailing behind him like a lost puppy. Well, in all technicality, she was.

"Have you ever ridden in a car?" Togusa asked, a tentative question to gauge the girl. Sakura shook her head.

"As I said, our technology isn't as advanced. A horse-drawn carriage is advanced in a shinobi village." She answered. Togusa stopped and turned to face her with a look that read 'you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me'.

"What is a shinobi, anyway?" he continued his query and continued to trudge toward his vehicle.

"We are ninja. The term 'shinobi' is used to describe someone of ninja status. Whereas 'kunoichi' is a term for a female ninja." Why did Sakura feel like a school teacher, quoting something from her academy days? "What year is it here, anyways?"

"2034."

"_W-what_?!" she and her captain were transported into the future… were she was like, oh, 90-something! Sakura growled as her hands tugged at her hair. "Why did I agree to take this mission?"

"Come on, my car is just down the isle." Togusa coxed as he continued down the long, cement parking lot. Sakura picked up the pace and followed him. He walked up to a light blue car and opened the driver side door, motion for her to do the same.

"Ano… I don't know how this works." She admitted with a tiny smile. Togusa chuckled and walked around, showing Sakura how to open a car door. "Oh… and here I thought it would slid open like in the sci-fi books Shino reads." Togusa raised a brow and reached into his pocket.

"I have to call my wife and let her know we have company." He said waving a small device before her and opened it. Sakura didn't listen to the conversation, she was too busy inspecting the interior of the car. Leather seats, vinyl dashboard with faux wood trim, polished to perfection and carpeted floor covers. The engine revved to life, making Sakura cling to the door. "Don't worry, I'm an excellent driver."

"Tell her how many accidents you were in last year. She'll think twice about getting the car with you again." Came Batou's booming voice from across the way. Sakura looked up and glared.

"He's kidding."

~xxx~

Itachi was having better luck. Saito gave a shrug and motioned for the ANBU to follow. Both men walked silently along the far wall of the parking lot, only the clank of Saito's heels could be heard.

"The Major tells me you're not from around here." The brunette offered with a shrug. Saito didn't like the silence.

"Aa." Itachi responded with a nod. "One could say that."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It is meant to express that I am not from this time…" Itachi said, eyeing the cars as they passed. "This place is my home but farther in time than where I am from."

"Time travel is impossible." Saito countered, looking over his shoulder at the raven-haired ANBU.

"We believe so, too. But it is apparent that a jutsu exists that can do so."

"Jutsu…?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes. A technique that implements the use of chakra to summon, cast an illusion or harness the energy around one's self to defeat your enemy." Itachi explained. The eye patch-clad man gave him a blank look.

"Sounds complicated." Saito shrugged and approached his car. Itachi watched the man for a moment, his sharp mind absorbing the man's movements before doing the same.

"I never had a problem learning jutsu."

"What about your friend?"

"Haruno-san… is gifted in other fields." He answered as the car started and pulled forward. It was a smooth ride down the isle as Saito steered the car towards the exit.

"So, this 'jutsu', how does it work?"

"I do not know. It is something I am unfamiliar with."

"Got'cha." Saito sighed as they pulled out onto the quiet streets. "My house isn't far from here. We should get there in twenty minutes or so."

"And your comrade? How far away does he live?"

"Worried for your friend?" he asked with a smirk.

"Precisely." Itachi responded.

"Togusa lives in the other direction, about the same distance away."

"Aa."

~xxx~

It was just after one in the morning when Togusa pulled into the driveway. He could see the living room light on; his had wife waited up for them. Actually, Nana was peeking out of the window when Togusa opened the car door and stepped out. Sakura followed suit and hurried to followed him to the front door. A pretty dirty-blonde woman opened the door and greeted them with a warm smile.

"Welcome home, dear." The woman said as she stepped aside. Togusa gave her a kiss on the cheek before he stepped through the door, Sakura hot on his heels. She bowed low to the woman before speaking.

"Thank you for letting me stay with you, ma'am." The pink-haired medic said as she righted herself and smiled.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Haruno-san. I'm Nana." The woman said as her smile widened. "Pink hair? Oh, my daughter is going to love you." Sakura rubbed the back of her neck as Togusa gestured for her to come inside. "The guest room is all set. You can take a shower if you wish… are you hungry?" Nana spoke, her words almost jumbled together in excitement.

Sakura bowed again. "Thank you so much." She smiled again while standing in the hallway. "I'm starved actually." Nana was nodding as she closed the front door and locked it. She headed for the kitchen with Sakura as Togusa readied for the night. Once 'dinner' was served, Sakura ate quietly, eyes taking in everything she could.

"My husband explained that you're not from around here… what did he mean by that?" Nana asked as she sat across from Sakura.

"I come from a place call Konoha, it's a shinobi village in Fire country." Sakura said as she set down her fork. Togusa joined then just seconds later, glass of water in hand. "I was on my first ANBU mission when we were… transported here."

"ANBU? What's that?" the woman asked, leaning forward in her chair.

"I'm not sure how to explain ANBU to you. It's like… um… special forces I guess."

"Oh, I get it. So, you two are like elite soldiers?" Togusa question as his glass clanked on the table.

"Two? There's another like you?"

"Hai, my captain is with me." Sakura nodded.

"Well, I sure you're tired. I'll show you to the guest room." Togusa said as he stood from the table. Sakura stood with him with a smile.

"Thank you for the meal, Nana-san. Have a good night." She bowed again, earning a giggle from the older woman.

"Good night, Haruno-san."

~xxx~

Five hours of sleep wasn't bad but Sakura still felt like she had been run over by a herd of cattle. Just what had that jutsu done to her? Other than transporting her to another time, the full blast of said jutsu made Sakura feel sluggish and completely drained. With the sun just starting to crest the horizon at six in the morning, Sakura sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. It was far too early to be sharing information on the most deadly organization in her dimension.

The soft patter of feet brought Sakura back to reality as a soft knock rasped on the door. The door creaked open and a small head of dark blonde hair poked through the opening.

"It's true… you do have pink hair." The voice of a young girl called from the doorway. Sakura blinked twice as the young child bounded into the room and hopped onto the bed, sitting on her knees before her.

"Well, hello there. What's your name?" the pink-haired kunoichi asked with a warm smile. The child beamed up at her.

"My name is Keda. It's nice to meet you." The girl, no more than six, stuck her hand out, wanting to shake the hand of her pink-haired guest. Sakura took the girl's hand lightly and shook it.

"Hello, Keda-chan. My name is Sakura."

"You're very pretty, Sakura-san." The girl about cried as she scooted closer to her new friend.

"Why, thank you Keda-chan." Sakura chuckled as the girl started to play with her long hair.

"Can I braid it?"

"Sure." And this is what Togusa found when he walked passed the room five minutes later. But time was of the essence and playing dress-up would have to wait for another time.

~xxx~

Greetings were exchanged when they met at HQ. Sakura and Itachi stood off to the side, waiting to meet with Chief Aramaki to inform him about the Akatsuki. Motoko had explained that it was standard procedure to talk to the Chief and he would inform the others on the situation. The ANBU understood, of course. It was the same for them back home. Sakura was relieved to know that things weren't so different.

Aramaki was a small man, balding some with a white halo of hair and a serious look on his face… constantly. He sat behind a large oak desk with his arms crossed, eyes narrowed at the two, young shinobi sitting across from him. Sakura couldn't help but feel intimidated. She glanced at Itachi… but he was as cool as a cucumber, sitting with his legs crossed, hands on the armrests and blank look on his face as he sat back.

On her end, Sakura fidgeted in her seat, foot tapping, fingers wringing her shirt and biting her lip as she looked between the tow men.

_**'This is ridiculous. PULL IT TOGETHER, BAKA!'**_ her inner cried while pumping her fists in the air. Sakura frowned, inner was right.

"I hear that you have important information regarding my investigation?" Aramaki asked, eyes sliding from Itachi to Sakura and back. "Well, let's have it."

"Haruno-san, your Bingo Book, if you would," Itachi said smoothly. Sakura hesitated for a split second before fumbling fingers reached into her medic pouch. Sakura opened the small, black book and flipped to the page that contained Hoshigaki Kisame's information before standing and placing the book on Aramaki's desk. The head of Section 9 turned the book right-side-up and slid it closer. The picture at the top matched the security photos exactly but the information under the picture only confused the older man as he read it aloud.

"Hoshigaki Kisame, wanted in all five nations. Nation of origin: Water Country, Village Hidden in the Mist. Affiliation: Seven Swordsmen on the Mist, Akatsuki. Classification: S-class, Missing-nin. Note: Known member of the criminal organization, 'Akatsuki'." The Chief looked up from the book with a bow raised. "And this is telling me, what?"

"Hoshigaki Kisame is highly dangerous. He specializes in Water and Earth jutsu which makes him all the more deadly." Itachi spoke with his eyes trained on the old man before him.

"How is that?" asked the Chief. He set the book down and folding his hands over the pages.

"He could flood the city in mere minutes." Sakura spoke with a tight nod. "I've seen him turn a desert into an ocean in the blink of an eye." Her gaze was intense as she looked Aramaki dead in the eyes. "And he's not only one here."

"You're telling me that there's more than one of these 'Akatsuki' fellows here?" he asked with an incredulous tone. "How do you know for sure?"

"We were on a mission for confirm the presents of the Akatsuki in Fire country when we came upon their location. Haruno-san confirmed the members as Akasuna no Sasori and Deidara of Iwa. They were sent here in the same fashion we were, via jutsu." Itachi intoned with his usual monotone. Aramaki eyed him as Sakura nodded in agreement.

"They were sent minutes before we were caught, giving them the opportunity to escape before detection." Sakura supplied. "If you turn the page, the information on the other two members is there." The Chief did just that. Eyeing the pages as pictures of a blonde and redhead filled his vision.

"And what are their specialties?"

Itachi turned his gaze to Sakura, imploring her silently to cough up information. Sakura took the hint with a heavy sigh.

"Sasori is a puppet master, specializing in exotic and difficult poisons. Deidara is… an explosives expert with a penchant for long range attacks. Sasori's body is a puppet while Deidara is as human as myself but his hands have," she paused for a moment, cringing as she envisioned the two men from her terrifying nightmares. "Deidara's hands have mouths in them, allowing him better access to his 'art'."

Aramaki stared at her with a mixture of disgust and disbelief in his gaze. "You have to be kidding?" Sakura shook her head. "I suppose it must be true since there is a giant, blue, shark-man hiding in my city." He offered with a shrug. "How do we go about finding them? If they are from your era then they wouldn't have cybernetic enhancements to trace."

"Their chakra." Itachi answered with a smirk. "We will be able to sense their chakra signatures within a three mile radius."

"Chakra? You mean Chi, right?"

"They are the same." Sakura answered.

"But we can't detect chakra. How will we know when they are around?"

"We can." Itachi supplied with a nod. Aramaki let out a reluctant sigh.

"Well then, welcome to the team. I'll have Togusa show you around and an apartment will be acquired for the duration of your stay." He paused, tapping a finger to his chin. "How long will you be staying?"

"We are unsure ourselves." Itachi answered as he stood with Sakura and bowed. Togusa, who had been waiting outside, stepped into the room and motioned for them to follow.

~xxx~

"… And this is the recreation room. The only person who seems to use it though is Batou." Togusa explained as the stepped into a large room that looked like the hall back in Konoha that hosted the second stage of the chunin exams. As if on cue, Batou peered from around the corner to see who had just walked in. He grinned as he spotted Itachi and Sakura.

"Well look at what we have here. Back to the future ninjas." He teased as he stepped towards them. "What do ya say we spar for a bit?" he asked Itachi who shook his head in the negative. He turned to Sakura and shook his head. "Nah, I might break you."

"Excuse me?" Sakura hissed, eyes narrowed to slits as she glowered at the white-haired male before her.

"Look at you, chicken wing. I'm afraid I'll snap you in half if we fought." Batou said with a sarcastic sneer. Sakura growled at him.

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you very much."

Batou grinned as Sakura placed her hands on her hips, a heavy glare in her hard emerald eyes. "Fine, Pinky. Let's see what you've got."

**"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!" **she screeched and lunged at him only to be stopped by a hand. Itachi looked down at her with a slight frown. She was about to question him when his lips twitched slightly upwards.

"No chakra, no weapons… just taijutsu." Sakura grinned manically and nodded to her captain. She turned to face Batou who was now standing in the center of the room, taking off his jacket.

"Let's go, girly! I don't have all day."

"Do you know what the difference between you and me is?" Sakura asked as she stripped herself of her armor and medic pack.

"Other than the obvious?" he shot back while stretching his arms over his head.

Sakura chuckled; he really had no clue as to what he was getting into. "At least, when I break something, I can fix it myself. I don't have to look for my manufacturer's warranty and prey it's still valid." That said, Sakura lunged again with a mighty roar towards the hulk of an android in the center of the room. Batou was able to dodge a flying kick and spun to punch her in the back… but she disappeared in a flash.

"What the--" his question was cut short when Batou was hit from behind, sending him flying across the room. He landed with a thud but was not given the time to recover as Sakura's leg came into view from above. Batou scrambled out of the way as her leg came down. A loud crack sounded in the room, echoing off the concrete walls and metal support beams. She turned to face him, watching as he stood.

Batou raised his fists with a smirk.

"Ok… looks like I'm going to have to pull out all the stops."

"I'm sorry… did you actually start fighting? When? I think I missed it." Sakura said, feigning shocking with a hand over her lips. Batou growled at her as she cautiously stepped towards him, her fists clinched in front of her. Batou began bouncing from foot to foot, waving his body to the sides and faking a lunge every few seconds. Sakura was unfamiliar with this fighting style but kept her cool as he faked another punch.

Suddenly, his fist rocketed forward, towards Sakura's jaw. She was able to dodge the large fist flying at her and answered his challenge with a punch of her own. It connected his ribs causing him to stumble backward with a grimace. Without missing a beat, Sakura swooped forward and dropped. With a twist of her hips, Sakura swung her leg and clipped Batou below the knees. He fell back with a surprised cry as Sakura pounced on him, grabbing one of his arms and flipping onto his stomach. Somehow, Batou was able to wiggle his way out of the hold and stand up. He grabbed Sakura by the ankle and flipped her over. She smiled up at him and yanked her leg free before flipping away from him.

"Clever little minx." He hissed. Sakura continued to smile as she prepared to run at him. In a flash, she was gone. Batou tensed and turned to face the other direction. He thought she would appear behind him again but she wasn't there.

"Hello up there." Her sing-song voice beckoned from below. The second he looked down, it was over. Sakura's foot thrust upward and clipped him in the chin, knocking him to the ground and out cold. Sakura stood up and dusted herself off before walking back towards her captain. And stopped dead in her tracks. A large group of people was staring at her like she was an alien. "What? He's still breathing, so stop staring!"

Batou came to a few moments later and rubbed his chin as he sat up.

"Did someone get the number on that bus?" he asked gruffly as he stood on shaky legs. Batou took one step when his leg buckled. He thought for sure he'd face-plant the floor but a strong hand kept him upright. Batou looked over his shoulder and shook off Itachi's hand, having regained his composure. "What the hell is that girl, anyway? You sure she isn't an android?"

"You are lucky she was given restrictions." Itachi intoned casually.

"Oh? And why is that?" Batou questioned with a quirked brow.

"Because without restrictions - such as the ones I placed on her - would be detrimental to your health. But…" Itachi pause, more for dramatic effect than anything else. "I may consider letting her spar with you again with all of her abilities."

Batou got the message, loud and clear.

Don't fuck with the feisty, pink-haired kunoichi if you want to live.

(**A/N**: Sorry it took me so long to get this up. I think I may have to buy a wig after all the hair-pulling I've been doing with trying to write this chapter. Send all KB wig funds to Ohio please.)


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